3GB for $29
3 Mobile – 3GB for $29 Wireless Broadband Plan Review
Our Rating: 
It’s very similar to the former 2GB for $29 plan, but on this plan you get an extra 1GB of data allowance. You have to pay an extra $5 per month for the USB modem – except if you are an existing 3 Mobile customer and then the USB modem is free. The easiest way to become an existing to customer is to have a look at 3’s Mobile Phone plans – if you sign up for a mobile plan with 3, you instantly become an existing customer and get your USB modem for free! It becomes a bundle discount!
Data Allowance
3GB is a very generous data allowance for only $29 per month – some fixed line ADSL broadband services don’t offer such exceptional value. 3GB will be plenty for most people but if you are unsure, the $39 plan is available with 6GB of data. As for all the 3 wireless broadband plans, the excess fee is 10c per MB if you exceed your data allowance – so you want to be on the right plan and are better going a bit higher than a bit lower.
Speed
3 mobile broadband is enabled for HSDPA (High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). It has a maximum download speed of 3.6Mbps and uplink speeds up to 384kbps. Speeds will vary due to a number of factors such as signal strength.
3 wireless broadband is compatible with PC or Mac. You’ll need Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Vista (32+64 bit) or Mac OS X (Mac OS 10.3.7 or later). To use the wireless USB modem, you’ll need a USB port on your computer or laptop.
Coverage
3′s network primarily covers major populations such as Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth. Outside of these areas you can roam onto the Telstra network, but at $1.65 per MB to roam it is a very expensive option. You receive the first 1MB of roaming included in your plan, but after that it’s charged on top. You do have to activate roaming if you want it – 3 has turned it off by default.
Signing Up
For the best deals, we recommend signing up directly with 3 on their website
More Information
See the 3 website
Hardware Options
3 gives you the choice of the white or black USB modem or broadband card for PCMCIA or Express Card slots.
Make sure you read all the terms and conditions on the 3 website. We endeavour to make choosing a wireless broadband plan easy, and part of that is not giving you information overload. We draw attention to features of a plan which could be potential benefits or pitfalls – but naturally we don’t list every term and condition. So make sure you read the terms and conditions on the 3 website.
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